Even Writers Get Bored
by MorgieSan
Summary: She catches Castle writing in his study. Just a little bit of oddball humor that results from a pseudo-conversation with Hallow777.
1. Chapter 1

So I sort of threatened to do something like this the other night while talking with Hallow777. It got a little longer than I intended, but hey. There's Caskett fluff, and a mention of a little Lanie and Esposito action. This is my first Castle fic. I hope it doesn't suck too hard.

Disclaimer: ABC owns Beckett and Castle and Lanie and Esposito. Fred Durst owns the song. :)

Enjoy, maybe?

* * *

Kate let herself into the loft as quietly as anyone could in stilettos. It was after midnight, and she didn't want to wake anyone up. She toed her shoes off and picked them up as she started tip-toeing toward the stairs. She froze at the bottom of the stairs. She could hear the repetitive thumping coming from Castle's office. She quietly placed her shoes on the stairs and slipped across the hardwood toward the door. As she drew closer to the door she realized the thumping was a song. A song that Castle had turned up far too loud for his own good. She edged to the door and placed her ear against it.

She could barely hear anything over the song, but what she could hear was furious typing. She slowly turned the handle on the door and opened it a fraction of an inch. He was sitting on the couch by the door, and his head was bobbing along with the racket coming from the speakers in his office. She rolled her eyes and let them travel from the top of Castle's head to the screen on his laptop. She scanned a few lines and saw the names Nikki and Rook. "He's writing," she thought to herself, "Good, I don't want to have to call Gina."

"I did it all for the nookie, come on the nookie, come on, so you can take that cookie and..." Castle abruptly stopped singing, and started typing again. It took all her willpower to not start laughing then and there. She glanced back down at the screen.

_Rook ran towards Nikki._ Castle highlighted and deleted the sentence. _Rook hurtled toward Nikki. He only had seconds. As the shot rang out he dove – _Castle again deleted the sentences. He sighed and listened to the song again. Kate saw his eyes get wide in the reflection of the screen, she thought she was busted. Castle quickly opened up a new document and began typing, even more furiously than he had been before.

_Title: Dark Heat_

_Rating: M_

Kate wrinkled her nose. She already didn't like where this was going.

_Summary: Things get hot when the blackout hits New York. _

_Pairings: NOOKI! _

_Disclaimer: I don't own Jameson Rook or Nikki Heat. I wish I did though, wouldn't that be awesome?_

Kate's face immediately shifted to confused. "Doesn't own them? Of course he owns them..." She glanced back down to the screen, where paragraph after paragraph flowed flowed from his fingertips. She read along as the document grew and grew. He saved it, and then opened his internet browser. Navigating to his favorite fansite he quickly accessed the boards and logged in. In a matter of seconds he was uploading the document to the site under the username "DidIt4TheNooki." Kate quickly lifted her eyes to the top of the screen.

This time she couldn't keep the laugh back. It broke out and before she knew it Castle had whipped the door open on her and she practically fell in. "I could smell you," he looked at her as she tried to get her laughing under control, "You've been watching me for the last thirty minutes." He backed her up against the door and placed an arm on either side of her.

Finally able to breathe again, she batted her eyes at him, "Why whatever do you mean Mr. Castle?"

"Cherries."

"Yeah? Well, I just caught you writing fan fiction for your own characters. Not only that, it was smut," she crossed her arms and put on her best cop face.

"So?"

"Why in the world would you want to write _smut_ with Nikki and Rook?"

"Maybe I was bored."

"If you were bored and you knew I was watching, why did you keep writing?"

He inched closer until he was a breath away from her.

She held her ground.

He broke, "Uuuuuuuuuugh, because I didn't know you were there. I came down here to wait for you to get home. I got bored so I decided to write. That wasn't working. SoIGotOnAFansite," he spit the last part out.

She smirked at him and tilted her head to the side, "What was that?"

"I. Got. On. A. Fansite."

"Yes, after you wrote your little story."

"No, before. Too. I... Did you know that those people have made up their own name for Nikki and Rook? Like TomKat and Brangelina."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. Nooki."

She was giggling, she would deny it in the morning, but for now she was giggling, "So you got the idea to join their ranks and write that then?"

"Huh? What? No. I Googled the word, to see how real it was. It thought I meant nookie. I found that song. _Then _I got the idea to write."

"Mmm," Kate put her hands on Castle's chest and pushed him backwards, "I'm tired writer-boy. Are you going to keep making up fantasies or are you going to come live one out?" She asked over her shoulder as she headed back towards her shoes and the stairs.

"Let me save my file!" Castle went back to his laptop and saved the actual book chapter he had tried to work on. He raced across the floor and caught her at the bottom of the stairs. He wrapped his arms around her middle and stopped her from going up.

"No, the last time you made a big mess..."

"I don't want kitchen sex," he finished her thought. "I was just wondering why you were so late getting home."

She turned in his arms and linked hers behind his neck, "I went to see Lanie."

"How's she doing?"

"Miserable."

"Fair enough. She is like twelve-months pregnant now right? Poor Esposito. That'll teach him to use birth control."

Kate thumped his shoulder, "Be nice. You'll be dealing with that one day."

"Yeah?" His eyes lit up.

"Yes, and I don't forget things."

"One day soon?" He tugged her closer.

"Castle, I'm not pregnant."

"Oh," he leaned forward and rested his forehead on hers, "you sure?"

"I'm sure, but you are more than welcome to take me upstairs to rectify this," she smiled at him, the one she saved just for him.

His eyes darkened and he got very serious he leaned in and whispered something in her ear.

She eyed him, "Yes."

"Whoop!" Castle picked his wife up and carried her upstairs.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I still don't own them. But it would be totally cool if I did right?

Note: This was going to be a oneshot ending in Castle's office. Then it continued into the kitchen. Then like 6 of you put this story on story alert. I don't do chapters. I do unrelated drabbles. You can look. My only "multi-chapter" fic for Bones is 3 drabbles. :/ Anyway, coming back to this fandom. I'm going to break my own rule for me being ADD, and make this chapter actually related to the first. Iknowright? Same rules apply as before, if it sucks I apologize.

* * *

Castle lay in the bed watching his wife sleep. She was snuggled up to his side with an arm thrown haphazardly across his torso. He gave her a lazy smile and tangled his hand in her hair. Castle closed his eyes and started to doze off next to her when "The Murder Line" rang. He groaned as he reached for Kate's cell phone. He couldn't reach it without waking her.

"Kate..." he tried to pull his arm out from under her, "Come on, wake up."

She groaned and rolled closer, "Donwanna."

"Your phone is ringing."

She opened one eye and glared with it. She rolled toward her phone and took all of the sheets with her, "Beckett."

"Took you long enough, girl."

"Lanie?" Kate glanced over at the clock, "I swear to God you better be having that baby right now."

"Good thing you don't have to finish that threat. Javier is taking me to the hospital now."

Kate let out a little squeal, "We'll be there soon!" She hung up the phone and sat up, "Come on, shower time."

"Time to go meet our niece?"

"She just went into labor," Kate got up and headed for the bathroom. "Quit staring at my ass."

"How do you..." he shook his head and got up to follow her.

"I know you," she turned on the water and stepped inside to clean up.

He followed her in, "As creepy as you think it is when I watch you, it's even creepier when you know what I'm doing without looking at me."

"Turnabout," she reached past him for her shampoo.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," He quickly cleaned up and let her finish showering.

Thirty minutes later they were pulling into a parking space at the hospital, "You just passed like ten spots closer than this one."

"If you don't quit whining, I will take you right back home and go see Lanie without you," She cut the ignition, and looked at him.

"Why do I let you boss me around?"

"You like it," she grinned and then turned her attention to her seatbelt. After unclipping it she turned to get the door, but found it already sitting open.

Castle offered her his hand, "Yes, I do like it."

She grinned and accepted his hand, "Thank you."

He laced his fingers with hers and all but dragged her up to the maternity ward. In the short time it took them to walk up there Rick decided that before the week was out he was going to get his wife pregnant. They met Ryan and Jenny in the waiting area, where the smallest Ryan immediately wrapped her chubby little arms around Kate's leg.

"Hi, Lily," Kate picked the toddler up and give her a loud kiss on the cheek.

"Ion Ate," the little girl replied with a giggle.

"What am I chopped liver?" Castle pouted at the little girl over Kate's shoulder.

Lily turned her head to the side, and Castle could swear he saw the little cogs start turning as she considered his question, "I Un Icky."

"Hi, kiddo," he turned his attention to Kevin and Jenny, "Any news?"

"Nothing yet, but he swears he heard her scream right before you all got here."

"I did!"

"You didn't," Esposito said slumping into the chair next to Jenny.

"What are you doing out here?" Kate asked as she continued to play with Lily.

"I was thrown out. She told me to get fu-" his eyes flicked up to Lily, "she told me to get the bleep out."

"And you left?" Kevin asked.

"She scares me!"

"Bro, do you know how many times Jenny threw me out? You're not supposed to actually leave, it just makes them madder," he jerked a thumb at his nodding wife.

Esposito sighed, "She nearly broke my hand," he headed back up the hall toward Lanie's room.

Kate took Esposito's seat, "She's getting so big, Jenny."

"You want her she's yours. She is _never ever_ this good for me," Jenny brushed her fingers through the little girl's hair, "him maybe, but never me."

"Would you like to know a secret?" Kate leaned in conspiratorially.

"Sure?" Jenny asked a bit unsure.

"The only words she says to me are 'Hi Aunt Kate' and 'Want Mommy'."

"Really," Kate passed the child back to her mother, "She's just learned quickly how to work the boys."

"I dread her teenage years," Jenny said looking a bit terrified.

"Don't, four of her eight favorite people carry guns," Kate gave Lily another kiss and got up, "Do you all want anything to drink? I need coffee."

A chorus of "No" left Kate to wander off to get coffee by herself.

"Okay, spill," Jenny said turning to Castle.

"Huh?"

"When are you going to have another kid?"

Castle looked at the small blonde, "I need to go. Over there."

The pair watched as he swung right as he left the waiting room.

"She went to the left, Castle," Kevin called out. They laughed as he passed by the opening again.

He walked down the hall a few feet before a voice stopped him, "Can I have your autograph?"

Castle stopped and turned around, "Sure!"

After he was done signing the back of the nurse's name badge Kate spoke, "I can't take you anywhere."

"Jenny cornered me," he pouted.

"Yeah, when was the last time one of our 'friends' _didn't_ ask when we were going to have kids?" She held her hand out for him.

"The day before they found out we were dating," he said allowing himself to be pulled further down the hall.

"Exactly," she smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I still still don't own Castle. It's kind of annoying isn't it?

Note: You guys are a lucky bunch of fools. This just turned into a three chapter story. We'll just have to see where it goes from here. I own all mistakes in grammar and syntax. I'm also fairly sure that this is going to dissolve straight into fluff. I'm talking straight sugar. It will **not** be diabetic friendly.

* * *

"Where are you taking me?"

"Here," she pulled him around a corner and stopped, "I thought this would cheer you up."

Castle looked in the window at all the newborns and smiled. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and they stood there watching the babies.

After a few moments of silence she spoke, "Rick?"

"Hmm?"

"Are we... Do you... I'm ready," she turned her head to look up over her shoulder at him. She gave him a small smile to apologize for he loss of words.

He laughed into her hair and moved his mouth down to her ear, "Good. I had plans of knocking you up by the weekend." She laughed and he squeezed her tighter, "I love that sound."

They settled back into their silence for a while longer. She drained the last of her coffee and reached a hand up to pull one of his arms away, "Come on. Lets go back to wait on our niece."

They headed back to waiting room and as they entered the door they heard a manly shriek come from the delivery area.

"Was that Esposito?" Ryan asked sticking his head out to look up the hallway with them.

"Twenty says she broke his hand," Castle automatically offered.

"Odds are too easy," Ryan responded before going back in to sit with Jenny.

"He's just afraid I'll win," Castle whispered trying to illicit a smile, a tactic that worked perfectly.

"You guys are going to have to stop betting on sure things, you do know that right?" She walked over and picked up a magazine to leaf through. Finding one to her liking she took a seat.

"What happened to your plans for coffee?" Jenny asked.

"Finished it."

"I think she mainlines the stuff," Ryan laughed.

"Do you really think that was wise?" she asked lowering the magazine and fixing him with the glare she saved for Castle when he was being a bigger than normal pain in her ass.

"No, it probably wasn't... but it was worth it." Jenny silenced him with a thump to the back of the head.

As he went to sit Castle opened his mouth to add something, but before he could even form a syllable he felt a hard pinch on his ear, "ApplesApplesApplesApplesApp-"

She let go and went back to her magazine, "You know better."

He smiled and then leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Probably, but it's more fun to pretend I don't."

She turned her head and met his lips, the magazine hiding their kiss poorly, "I love you."

"I love you too," he responded as she lay her head against his shoulder.

Several hours, a few magazines, and some quiet chatting later found Kevin napping with his little girl, Jenny finishing Patterson's latest (much to Castle's chagrin), and Castle playing games on his phone.

Esposito raced in waving his phone around, "Guys! Guys! It's... I got.. BABY! Pictures! I'm a dad!"

"Alright, bro!" Kevin got up and hugged his friend with his free arm.

Jenny snatched his phone and began scrolling through the pictures, "Oh, Javier she's beautiful!"

Castle stooped over by Jenny to look at the pictures, "She looks just like Lanie. Congratulations, man!"

Esposito was beaming, "Thanks. I... wow! I gotta get back," he took his phone back and scurried up the hall back to Lanie and his new little girl.

Kate came back into the room and watched the group talking excitedly about the baby. Castle saw her and met her before she could take another step forward.

"She's beautiful!" he wrapped her in a hug.

"You saw her?" The disappointment was evident on her face.

"He brought pictures out, where'd you go?"

"The bathroom," she leaned into the hug, "Damn coffee."

Castle smiled at her, "Hey, they'll move her soon, and then we can all go see her."

Within the hour Lanie was resting in her room, and everyone else was gathered down at the window by the nursery admiring the new baby with her proud father.

Castle pulled Kate away from the group and over to a bench a few feet away, "How many?"

"I don't know."

"Boy or girl?"

"I don't care."

"That was not at all helpful, Katherine."

She smiled, "Two? Three? At least one boy, but he has to be the oldest."

"I knew you cared," he ran this thumb down her cheek. He played with her hands for a while. "Why does he have to be the oldest?"

"When I was little my best friend had an older brother, who was... two years older than we were. He always looked out for us in school, or at the park. I remember asking my parents for an older brother. I also remember being an annoyed eight-year-old when I couldn't get one."

"I can imagine you being used to getting whatever you wanted at eight," he laughed softly.

"You can say it, because it's probably true. I was probably a spoiled brat."

"I like to call it 'Only-Child Syndrome'. I can't imagine you being a brat though," he fiddled with the rings on her left hand as she continued to watch her friends coo over the baby.

"Yeah?"

"Yes. You're a lot like Alexis in that regard. Grown up you has her head screwed on way too tight to have ever been a brat, extenuating circumstances or not."

"We need to call her," Kate fished around in her coat pocket looking for her phone, when she pulled it out Castle took it from her. "Hey!"

"She's in class. Unlike us, she didn't get up and come to a hospital at two o'clock in the morning. We'll let her know later," he dropped the phone back into her pocket, and stood up.

"Right," she stood up with him and they rejoined the group.

Around ten the Castles left the hospital in search of breakfast and the rest of their lost night of sleep. When they crawled back into bed at 11:30 neither of them was aware of the sunlight outside, the humming lights in the hallway, or the vibrating cell phones conveniently left downstairs. After all, if it was really important, they could use the land line. They were only aware of the other.

Kate closed her eyes and let sleep overtake her. She dreamt of little boys who looked like her husband, little girls that reminded her of herself and her mother, laughter, and high school graduations.

Rick watched her sleep for the longest time. He tried to figure out what she was dreaming of. He made a mental list of unapproved baby names, no son of his was going to get a name like "Nathan" or "Richard" or any name one of her ex's or his mother's or Alexis's. He thought about doing all the things he did with Alexis with his new little girls. He smiled and kissed Kate's forehead, he was determined to give her whatever she wanted from him.

"Mmm, go to sleep," she smiled sleepily and tugged him closer.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: They still are not mine.

Notes: This story has officially gone off track. Or maybe it's the fact that it is nearly 4 A.M. here and I'm all herp-a-derp, lolz, and zomg at everything. Yeah, that's probably it. Seriously though, when I started it I really didn't think it was going to turn into an Esplanie fic along the way. This chapter is going to shift back to Caskett though. I promise. Seriously, look right below the line break. See, it starts with Kate!

Note 2: I must like you all or something, because you all are getting another update today. Maybe even two. DUM DUM DUMMMMMMMMMM.

* * *

Several hours later Kate woke up and slipped out of her husband's warm embrace. She slipped into the bathroom and quietly opened up the drawer by her sink. She didn't have to look up, she didn't have to look over, she didn't have to hear him move. She just knew when he was looking at her, he called it her secret ninja power. "Are we really doing this?"

He moved into the bathroom made her look him in the eye, "Are we?"

"That's not an answer," she got on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek before placing her attention back on the drawer and its contents. She pulled out the slim blue case, and held it up between them, "Well?"

He took it from her hands and leaned past her to drop it in the trash, "Is that a better answer?"

"Much," she smiled.

"So... race you back to bed?"

"No," she turned back to the drawer she had been in and pulled out her toothbrush and toothpaste, "but I will come back after I brush my teeth."

"You don't need to brush your teeth, it's not important to making babies."

"My mouth tastes like I ate a leather shoe, I'm brushing my teeth."

"Fine," he stood there and waited for her to start brushing.

"Stop being creepy," she crossed her arms.

"Yooooooooou," he stepped in very close to her, "stop being so bossy. I will add the word please to your lexicon if it kills me."

"Please, stop being creepy?" she asked in her most sarcastic sweetest voice before beginning to brush.

"There we go," he turned to leave and then almost immediately turned back around, "You aren't going to kill me are you?"

"No," she managed around her toothbrush. A few minutes later she went to join him, but found their bedroom strangely empty. She ventured down the stairs and listened for him. She heard him typing away in his study.

"Pretty bad time for inspiration to strike don't you think?" She leaned against the doorjamb.

"I had an idea."

"Not for another piece of Nikki and Rook smut I hope."

"Nooki smut, and no," he turned his chair to the side and motioned her over, "better than that."

She sat in his lap and looked at him, "I'm glad to know that there _is_ better than that."

"Fill that out," he turned them around so she was facing the screen.

"Why?" She asked as she began typing.

"I'm your stalker, remember? It's a calendar, for, um, lady stuff."

"Yo- Wh- I..." she turned to face him, "Sometimes there are just no words to adequately describe the boggling you do."

"The little blurb said it would also tell us when the best times to try were," he supplied defensively.

"Three days from now. That's the best time to try."

"You didn't even do the thing!"

"I kind of know. You do that twelve times a year, you take health classes, you go see doctors, you start to figure out the pattern. Our best window this month starts in three days."

"That doesn't mean we can't practice the trying part does it?"

She rolled her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Take me upstairs."

Before he could move they heard the front door of the loft open, "Dad? Kate?"

"Office, pumpkin."

"Well, don't the two of you look like you've had the laziest day ever," she joked walking over to hug her parents. She knew Kate was always going to be here no matter what, she knew Kate wasn't her mother per se, but she did know that Kate was the mom she had always wanted.

"Hey," Castle retorted, "we were up promptly at 2:27 A.M. So nyeh."

"Lanie had the baby this morning around seven. We stayed at the hospital until about ten. Then we slept again," Kate clarified.

"So... basically, the laziest day ever," Alexis grinned.

"Basically," Kate laughed.

"What brings you by today?" Castle asked.

"I can't just drop by unannounced anymore?"

"What? No? I mean yes! I mean what?"

"For an author, you literally have no power over words," Alexis slowed her speech down by a factor of about ten for her father, "Do... I... Have... To... Call... Before... I... Come... See... My... Parents... Now?"

"You're really funny. Reaaaaalllly funny. You better be glad I'm stuck in this chair, little missy. That totally would've earned you the worst tickling you've ever had, and dish duty."

"You can't give me dish duty Dad, that only applies to people who still live here," Alexis stuck her tongue out at her father and sat down on the couch.

"Curse you and your sudden but inevitable betrayal!"

"Dad, quoting 'Firefly' at me isn't going to guilt me into doing the dishes for you."

"Just because you're old enough to legally purchase alcohol doesn't mean that I can't still ground you."

"Riiiight," Alexis looked to Kate, "So how have you been? Has he been behaving without me?"

"I've been well, Lex, and believe it or not he has actually been very well behaved."

"Hello, in the room."

"Where's Gram at Dad?"

"She went out last night, I'm assuming she is still out. It saves me from having to consider therapy."

"Oh, I was hoping to see her before I went back."

"You aren't staying long?" Kate asked trying to get up.

Castle held on, "Ha! So you did want something besides seeing your adoring father."

"Dad, you know how much I love Gram."

"Ahhh, I know kid, so do I," he kept speaking against Kate's struggles.

Alexis checked her watch and moved towards the door, "Oh! I didn't realize I'd gotten in to the city so late. I'm going to be late for my date with Ashley. I'll drop by again before I leave. If Gram stops by tell her to wait for me!"

"Alone again."

"Let me go," Kate said continuing her struggle.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I still don't own them. If I did Josh would be stuck in Africa, literally. Some kind of Fringe event, and he'd be encased in Amber.

Notes: Any and all chapters from here on out will be far more lucid. Possibly even spellchecked and read aloud before uploading. I read about this new thing called sleep on the internet after class friday. I tried it, and it is TOTALLY amazing. I'm welcome to suggestions for this story, because I have no idea where to drag it to. Until then, prepare for some more fluff.

Note 2: I really need a name idea for baby Esplanie.

* * *

"What did we just talk about in the bathroom?"

"Babies."

"After that."

"Me brushing my teeth."

"Before that."

"Please let me up?" She asked as she gave up on her struggling and leaned further into him.

"It's like pulling teeth with you you know that?" He let her go, and smiled a little when she didn't move.

"It just feels weird to be all over you like this when Lex is around. It has to be uncomfortable for her."

"Puh-lease. You are aware that it is Alexis you are talking about right? The child that worships the ground you walk on, calls you for fashion advice, calls you for boy advice, changes her major..."

"She changed her major?" That got her attention, and in the span of about two milliseconds she was on her feet and facing him. "What do you mean?"

"Well-"

Kate cut him off again, "I thought she loved the journalism program? Why would she just change it like that?"

"Stop. I can't tell you anything if you keep talking."

Kate pursed her lips and waited for him to continue.

"She changed it because of something you said to her," he held a hand up when she started to interrupt again, "Quit acting like this is a bad thing. You'll be really proud of her if you will wait long enough to find out."

"Sorry."

"Okay, now, do you remember when you told her about your mother?"

"Yes."

"Lex is trying to get into law school."

"What?" Tears immediately sprang to her eyes, "She is?"

"Yeah," Castle wrapped his arms around her, "She saw how that shaped you. Not just her death, but how much of your mother is reflected in you. Your absolute sense of right and wrong and your innate understanding of the system. She really likes you, and since I wouldn't let her join the police academy, she decided to do this instead."

"She had already put so much effort in to journalism," she fell quiet and smiled after that and just let him hold her. After several minutes of silence she pushed back, "She asked to join the academy?"

"Yes," he was hoping she would miss that part.

"You wouldn't let her?"

"Right," he swallowed.

"Why?"

"I could not handle the thought of both of my girls out there chasing bad men who like to carry guns and have no problem with hitting girls."

"Richard Castle," she thought about being angry for about a second after he said it, but his explanation and its sincerity washed that away. It didn't mean she wouldn't draw out the anxiety just for fun.

"Yes?"

"I make you worry?" Her face softened, and a teasing smile appeared.

"Yes, but you know how to take care of yourself."

"So does Alexis."

"Well, yeah, but she's..."

"Your little girl," she paused and he nodded. "It's actually pretty sweet you know. I didn't know that it scared you so much."

"Yeah. Why do you think I don't wait in the car?"

"Because you worry about me."

"No, that's not it at all."

She raised an eyebrow at him, "Okay?"

"I just know that it's safer where you are."

Doing her best impression of a fish she tried to find the words to respond to him, and nothing came to mind. She settled on kissing him.

Several (and I do mean several) minutes later they broke apart to a clearing throat.

Kate's head spun around, and her face turned several shades of pink and voice barely a squeak, "Hi, Martha."

"Hello, mother," he was equally red. He wasn't going to try and figure out how long she'd been there.

"Oh relax you two, just as much as it pains you, Richard, to think about me galavanting off around the city, it's no mother's dream to be reminded of her children's sexual activity – grown or not."

The adults reddened further, "Alexis stopped by," he finally spoke, "she had a date with Ashley, but wanted to see you before she headed back to school."

"Mmm, I'll be in my room," she turned and waltzed to the stairs, then added over her shoulder as an afterthought, "Watching loud films."

"Did she..."

"Yes. She just told us to go to bed."

"My mother frightens me, have I told you this before?"

"Many times," she said going into the kitchen and pulling the fridge door open.

"Oh," he followed, "I thought I just came to that conclusion."

With a huff she stopped her search and turned around, "You haven't fed me today."

"Not true, we ate breakfast."

She looked up at the clock which said it was 7:45, and then back to him, "Which was long, long ago."

"Order in or eat out?"

"Lets go out," she went upstairs and straight into their closet.

He followed her up, waiting to see what she put on before deciding if a) reservations were necessary and b) what he should change into.

She turned around, "Where are we going?"

_Crap. _"I was hoping you could tell me that."


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I just overdosed on pink lemonade, apparently though that still doesn't do enough for ownership from ABC, so they still have them.

Notes: Seriously, waaaaaay too much lemonade for my own good. I've also decided that it's late January in New York in this story. I'm hoping I haven't made a warm weather faux pax anywhere. The restaurant August is real, I've never been there, but it looks tasty. I'm ignoring the fact that it's apparently popular enough to warrant out the door lines nightly. We're going to pretend that it's bam said the lady tasty, but a well kept secret out there amongst the romantics (but at least a good 45 minute wait, right?).

* * *

"Nope," she stopped her search, "You aren't playing this game tonight. No waiting for me to choose an outfit."

"But, that's how we always do it. I wait to see what you might be in the mood for, and then go from there."

"Make a choice writer-boy," she put her hands on her hips.

"Man, writer-man," he corrected, "Remy's?"

"Not in the mood for a burger."

He studied her before making his choice, "We're going to August. Get dressed."

He quickly pulled off his pajamas and started to dress. She turned back around to her clothes, "Would you like me to wear a dress?"

He stopped doing his 'trying-to-get-my-pants-on' dance and looked across the space at her, "Seriously?"

She nodded, "Seriously."

"Duh. Yes."

She shook her head and decided on his favorite LBD. Truthfully, she thought to herself, they were all his favorite, but this one made him an extra special kind of crazy. A sleeveless black v-neck, that hugged her in all the right places. She enjoyed the way it made him forget what words were and how to make sentences, "Too fancy?"

He quit buttoning his grey shirt, and looked up, "Perfect." He momentarily thought he should kick himself for not just going straight to take-out.

"Okay," she brushed past him and went into their bathroom.

"I'm going to go ahead and call," he sat on their bed and made their reservation.

Fifteen minutes later she came out and did a little twirl for him. She'd curled her hair, and put on a little make-up along with her dress, "Am I presentable, Mr. Castle?"

"Very presentable," he stood up and quickly closed the distance between them, "you evil, evil woman."

"Watch it," she replied stepping up to kiss him before heading into their closet to grab a pair of shoes and her favorite red coat.

"Oh I am," he said watching her backside disappear.

In ten minutes time they were sitting in the car and heading over to Bleecker Street for their date. The ride was in companionable silence, but nothing awkward. They held hands and watched the nightlife, and before they knew it they were in the West Village.

He quickly found a parking space, and much like earlier in the day he was around to her side of the car before she could even get her seat belt off. He offered her a hand and they headed into the tiny restaurant.

"Mr. Castle?"

The voice was deeper now, and still held a hint of the fear that was in it the first time he heard it, "Ashley!" He turned to his daughter and her boyfriend sitting on the bench waiting for a seat.

"Dad! You aren't following me are you?"

"No, I swear! Date!" he pointed at Kate, "See! Why are you sitting out here?"

"I was late... we lost our reservation," she glanced over at Ashley who just smiled and threw an arm around her shoulder.

"I waited, so now we're just on the list."

"Ahh, will you excuse me? I need to go check in," he went toward the hostess and left Kate standing there awkwardly.

She'd never interacted much with Ashley, and didn't really know how to start, "Hi guys,"

"Hi Kate," Alexis moved down some making a little room on the bench for Kate, "Talk about coincidence huh?"

"Yeah," she smiled, "Martha came in a while after you left, she was going to wait around to see you."

"Great!"

"Hey... Lex?"

"Hmm?" Alexis heard in Kate's voice that this was an undivided attention moment.

"Your dad told me about law school... why you did it. Are doing it, I guess is a better phrasing," she reached over and took hold of Alexis' hand, "Thank you."

Alexis beamed, "I haven't told dad yet, because he's going to die when finds out, but I got in! I applied to NYU Law."

"Lex! That's wonderful, you'll be coming home!"

"You are?" Ashley's face lit up too, "This is great! No more weekend dates on tight schedules! We can actually see each other."

"Well, what a happy little bunch we are," Castle came back over to the smiling group, "Our table awaits." He watched as Kate gave Alexis a hug and stood up. Then looked at his daughter and boyfriend, "Don't think you can get off that easy. It's a table for four. I have to know what's got you three so happy."

The younger duo stood up and followed them toward the back of the restaurant. As they passed the fireplace Ashley spoke, "You didn't have to do this sir, thank you."

"Anything for my baby," he was smiling proudly as he pulled out a chair for Kate. He pushed her chair in and then took a seat next to her, he pulled his menu up to look it over. Kate watched Ashley repeat what Castle had just done for her and tried to figure out if it was out of fear, or training.

"So, Ashley, how much longer do you have in school?" Kate asked him.

"I just sent my application in to Mount Sinai, so hopefully this is my last semester at Columbia and then off to bigger and better things," he tried not to show it, but he was a little bit more scared of Kate than he was Castle.

"That's great," she smiled and looked over to Alexis, "You'll probably like that."

"Ow!" Castle's head shot up, "Who kicked me and why?"

"Sorry Dad," Alexis grinned, "I wasn't aiming for you."

"What are those, steel toed heels?" He reached down to rub his shin.

"Crybaby, it isn't like I kicked you that hard. Anyway, I had something I wanted to tell you."

"You're engaged? If you are don't tell me, I don't think I can handle that right now."

"What? Dad, no. At least not yet," she sent Ashley a sidelong glance.

"Then what?"

"I'm going to NYU Law. I start in the fall!" Alexis let out a little squeal.

"That's fantastic! You'll be home; we can play laser tag while you're trying to study, and I can make smoreletts..."

"No you can't," Kate immediately cut him off, "those things could kill the dead. Besides, I think Alexis has probably already started looking at apartments of her own." She looked over to Alexis for confirmation, and made an 'I told you so' motion at Alexis when she nodded.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I've finally accepted it, I don't own them. :(

Notes: Thank you for the name idea Bella Paige. It's pretty much dead on perfect! This is more fluff at the restaurant.

* * *

"I just got used her living in a dorm!" Castle said head whipping around to Kate.

"Which I moved out of after sophomore year," Alexis shot her dad a look, "thank you very much."

"An apartment in Massachusetts is nothing like an apartment in New York City. Especially near campus."

The two carried on in their little back and forth and Kate sent an apologetic look to Ashley. After several minutes of it the waiter finally came by to take their drink orders. Two I.D.'s later a bottle of wine and four glasses of water were headed their way.

"A doctor and a lawyer, you two are going to be so busy for the next what 10 years?" Kate looked between them.

Alexis laughed and Ashley responded, "Yes ma'am, probably."

Kate started to respond but then didn't. What did he say? "Did you say ma'am?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Don't."

"Yes ma-," he cleared his throat, "okay."

Kate chuckled and picked her menu up to finally start looking it over. Castle leaned towards her and whispered, "I think the boy is afraid of you."

Kate suppressed a smile and swatted his shoulder, "Hush."

"Just saying," he sat back up and continued to mull over his dinner options.

"Boy can hear you sir, and yes, he is," Ashley supplied bravely.

Kate dropped her menu, "I scare you?"

Ashley nodded mutely, and Kate laughed harder than she had in a month. Ashley didn't know how to take that.

"Kate!" Alexis admonished her.

"I'm sorry, Lex... It's just..." she tried to get her laughter to stop, "Oh, it's just your dad waves a gun in his face the first time he meets him, and he's scared of me."

"You know how to use the gun," Castle added.

"You are not helping," Kate said looking at him, and then she turned back to Ashley, "I'm sorry for laughing at you like that. Look, you have nothing to worry about with me. Unless you kill someone, or do something incredibly stupid like hurting Lex. Then we'll have problems. I promise."

Ashley nodded, "I would never _ever_ hurt her."

"Okay then," she picked her menu back up to keep looking for dinner.

"Thank you," Alexis said before boing back to hers.

They laughed their way through their dinners, and at the end of the night Castle stood up, "You two, enjoy the rest of your evening, stay longer, have more wine, whatever."

"Dad, I have to get back, I'm done with wine for the night."

"I was talking to him," Castle shot right back.

"Go home, Dad," Alexis said standing to give him a hug, and then Kate behind him, "I'll see you all before I head back."

"Night," he kissed the top of Alexis's head and then helped Kate into her coat.

They made their way down the narrow path to the door, and out into the cold night air, "It was not this cold when we went in was it?"

"No idea," he pulled the keys from his pocket and put an arm around her to pull her close.

She smiled and wrapped her arms around him, when they reached the car she grabbed the keys, "Dibs."

"What?"

"I had one glass, I'm driving."

He nodded and made his way around to the passenger side. She turned on the car and sat there waiting for the inside to heat up.

"I really scare him?" She turned toward Castle.

"You scare anyone with a Y chromosome. It's just part of being a homicide detective who can kick your ass without breaking a sweat," he took one of her hands, "Trust me on this."

She looked out the window, "That's... not exactly comforting."

He put his hand under her chin and turned her back to face him. "You're the good kind of scary. You are surprising, you are unpredictable, you are... I could go on with this."

"Please do," she responded with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

Castle put on his challenge accepted face, "Okay, I will. You are the kind of beautiful that is intimidating. The first time I laid eyes on you... Okay maybe the second time, that bar was pretty dark, I was struck. Hard. I didn't know, and you can argue and be right, that I still don't know how to handle you. Men don't know how to talk to you. I got lucky, you _had_ to talk to me. You are completely oblivious to the looks people give you on the streets, and I take a lot of amusement from that. You are an unknown. Beautiful, smart, kind, loving... if this was Troy, I would so start a war for you."

"Aphrodite made Helen the most beautiful woman in all the land."

"You're even more beautiful that Aphrodite."

She leaned across the divider and kissed him, solidly, before sitting back and putting her seat belt on, "A war, huh?"

"At least _two_ thousand ships," he held up two fingers before he slid his seat belt into place as she put the car in reverse, "if not all of them."

"Well, don't I feel special," she smiled at him as they came to a stop at a red.

"You should, because you are," he replied as the car rolled forward

"Don't flirt with me while I'm driving, you almost made me miss the light change," she teased and followed the traffic back toward the loft.

"You like it when I flirt with you."

"I would deny it under oath."

"You would perjure yourself for me? I am touched," he feigned Scarlett O'Hara, "I'd bust you out."

"I know," was all she replied as she made the last few turns to the building. "Oh, found one!"

"Found one what?" He asked looking around outside, "That one so does not count. He's not even hiding."

"Doesn't matter," she held a hand out as she popped the car into park in his spot.

He grumbled and pulled out a dollar for her, "We need to amend the rules. 'Spot the Paps' is no fun when you get points for the ones that don't hide. It's like playing 'Where's Waldo?' and he's the only guy in the photo!"

"All I hear is complaining, when I should be hearing pretty wooing words," she grinned and got out before he had a chance to.

He locked eyes with her over the top of the car, "I didn't know I had to woo. Here I thought you were just this amazing woman who wanted some arm candy."

She rolled her eyes, "Let's go Big Ricky. I hear a pint of Rocky Road and the Three Stooges calling our names."


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I can't even claim ownership to a pint of rocky road (hate the stuff) let alone the dynamic duo and all their cohorts. If only ABC would let me borrow them... yeah... like that will ever happen.

Authors Note: You guuuuuuuuuuuys, this is chapter eight. Un-freaking-believable. I hope you have all been enjoying yourselves so far and in this chapter two things are going to happen. The first being an extended scene between Alexis and Ashley, the second a serious family moment. Arm yourselves now if you don't like sugar, cos here it comes you all. This is also going to be a bit (or maybe a lot) longer than all previous chapters. I also quoted Dr. Camille Saroyan, can you find it?

* * *

"Ice cream, Kate?" he asked her coming around the front of the car to put an arm around her, "It's like four below."

She just grinned and kissed him before leaning close into his side, "Could you tell who it was?"

"Hmm?" He tried to figure out her question, "Oh, you mean the guy who unfairly earned you a dollar? I think it was Lenny."

"He is the least creepy of your regulars," she wrapped her jacket tighter around her, just as much against the cold as against the sewer rat waiting for them at the door, as they began walking.

"Speak of the devil," Castle whispered into the top of her head as Lenny approached them.

"Good evening Mister and Missus Castle, just coming in from a date?" He was approaching them with his Flip cam held up.

Kate tucked her face away from his view and let Rick do all the talking, "Good evening Lenny."

Having his first question ignored Lenny dove right into his real reason for being there tonight, "Little bird told me the two of you were checking babies out at the hospital early this morning. Care to share the good news? Surrogate, maybe?"

Castle stopped and looked at Lenny, not his camera, "I'm going to say this once, so please pay attention. A good friend had a baby this morning. We were there to share in their good fortune."

Lenny backed off, and let them get to the door before starting again, "So the conversation that the two of you purportedly had about adding to the family is a lie?"

"Hows about we say you found the line, Lenny," this time it was Kate who spoke.

"Well, looks like I finally found the right button. Tell your friends congratulations," Lenny stopped recording and turned to walk back down the sidewalk to his car.

Kate screwed her eyes shut, "He's going to report about that isn't he?"

"Probably, but hey," he tipped her chin up, "it'll only be a rumor for a while right?"

She smiled, "Yeah."

He placed a chaste kiss on her lips, "Still in the mood for Rocky Road?"

"Sounds perfect," she reached for the door and pulled it open.

He reached behind her and grabbed it so she could go in, "Anything for you."

She went straight over to the elevator to press the call button, "And that is one of the things I love most about you."

"That and my ruggedly handsome good looks right?" He nodded to the doorman and went after her.

She stepped into the elevator and held the door for him, "Eh."

"Eh? Just eh?" he wrapped his arms around her middle after pressing their floor, "I find that hard to believe."

She leaned back against him and laughed, "It's a good thing we don't play poker together anymore."

"Yeah, I know all your tells," he released her when the doors opened, "That bit in the lobby, I know you can lie better than that."

"Just trying to keep your ego in check," she unlocked the door to the loft and went in.

He followed behind her and looked upstairs, "Well, it looks like mother wasn't lying about turning the volume up over us."

"Nope," she held his arm as she picked her foot up to take her heels off, "you get the ice cream."

"Yes, ma'am," he watched her head into the living room.

"Don't call me that!" She never broke her concentration from the rack of movies in front of her. She didn't even notice the shadow.

"Well sorrr-ry," he breathed right into her ear which caused her to jump. He liked it when he could sneak up on her, "Definitely not that one."

"You like this movie," she turned around and held the case up between them.

"So do you, but I'm not in the mood for Terminator tonight," he went over to the couch to get their ice cream ready.

"Fine," she turned around and placed the movie back on the shelf before reaching for their go-to. She opened the case and pulled out _The Princess Bride. _Quickly popping it into the player she went over to curl up in the corner of the couch before he could claim it.

"I thought you heard the Three Stooges calling our names?" He asked as he pulled a blanket out for them.

"I'm not superhuman, I guess. After all, muffled slapstick through brick walls from the street below? That's asking a lot."

"Yesh, pobly ish," he responded around a mouthful of ice cream.

"Sit down," she laughed and tugged on the back of shirt, "I can't see."

He sat next to her and offered her a spoon before picking the ice cream up off the coffee table. They polished off the little bit that was still in the tub, and laughed their way through the better part of the movie quoting their favorite scenes, and comparing some of their suspects to the R.O.U.S.'s and Prince Humperdink. Somewhere in all of that time he had stretched out and put his head in her lap. She relished the slight role change and happily played with his hair, never noticing him drifting off to sleep. When she finally did notice she divided her attention between the movie and the giant man-child sleeping in her lap, and nearly missed the key sliding into the lock and the door opening. Her cop instincts kicked in, but faded away when she heard Alexis talking.

"What are you so worried about?" She could hear Alexis say, and started to let her know where they were.

Ashley was wringing his hands in the doorway, "I just... your stepmom still scares me. Listening to you all talk about her being a super cop."

"Kate is not my stepmother," Alexis replied quickly, vehemently. Kate felt her heart break at that, and started to tear up.

"But..."

"No, Ashley, she's not. She's been more of a mother to me than my own mother was. There is no step. She's just Kate. She's..." Alexis got very quiet and Kate couldn't make out she said, "When I get married she's going to be the one I turn to with all of the planning. She's already been around longer than any one in his or my life. And she's..."

Ashley braced his hands on shoulders, "I got it Red, _she_ is your mom. This... uh... this wedding she's going to help you plan though, is it going to be to me?"

"As long as you don't screw anything up," Alexis replied before hugging him, "You _can_ come in you know. I know you want to make sure I actually make back out to my car too."

He nodded and stepped in to the loft, closing the door behind him. When he looked up he immediately let go of Alexis and cleared his throat, "Lex... you might want to turn around. I'm just gonna..." he looked left and then right, "go down there," he quickly made his way down the hallway to his left and found the safest room he could find, the bathroom.

Alexis turned around and saw Kate standing there with tears in her eyes., "I meant it. I know I never say it, ever, because you've always just been Kate to me, but I meant it. You've been the kind of mother I needed. Someone who was there to say the right things, and to set limits. Someone who wasn't competing with me or for me. It might take me years to be able to say it, but you're my mom, Kate."

Kate just nodded and walked over to her, "It would be strange to hear you call me anything other than Kate," she offered with a watery laugh, "It means a lot to me though. More than I think you could ever understand."

Alexis smiled and hugged Kate, "It needed to be put out there. You needed to know."

"Thank you," Kate hugged her back even tighter, before pushing her back a few inches to look her in the eyes, "Martha is upstairs, and a pre-emptive congratulations on your not-yet-but-someday engagement."

Alexis grinned, "Don't tell Dad about that part."

"Never," Kate let her go and turned her attention down the hall way, "You can come out now Ashley," she called before turning back to the living room.

She listened as they went up the stairs to see Martha before trying to figure out how to get her spot back on the couch.

"No way, move your feet lose your seat rule around here," he grinned up at her from his supine position on the couch.

She grinned evilly before making her choice, "Fine." She unceremoniously sat down on his stomach and leaned back to finish out their movie.

"That was not nice," he reached up to try and get a grip on her. Once he found it he pulled her down next to him, with a yelp, so they were both stretched out on the couch, "This is much better."

She smiled as he buried his face in her hair before twisting and wiggling around to face him, "I love you."

"I love you too," he grinned, then noticing the serious expression on her face, "what's up?"

"Alexis."

He smiled and placed a kiss on her forehead, "I know... mom," He wiped at the remnants of the tear tracks on her face.

"How much of that did you hear?"

"I heard the important parts. Alexis loves Meredith, but she's not exactly a reliable figure. She tries to be involved for the big things, like birthdays and holidays, but she doesn't know how to do everyday," he paused to play with a stand of her hair that had come loose, "you do. When are you not going to tell me about Alexis not being engaged?"

"Like I told her, never."

"Fair enough," he went back to absently playing with her hair, "I'm wide awake."

"Me too, apparently sleeping a day away makes night time morning," she turned enough to check the time, "It's almost ten."

"I don't want Lex out driving this late, pardon me pretty lady," he managed to maneuver himself up and over her without knocking her off the couch, "making her stay just gives me an excuse to get her up ridiculously early to go see Natalia tomorrow."

"Yes, we would be remiss in not taking her to see that adorable little baby," she said as she sat up.

"Although," he leaned over and placed his arms on either side of her, "It does prevent us from practicing."

"Wrong answer," she said pushing him back, "it's too late for her to drive back to Massachusetts. Go tell her that. It's not like she will be missing classes."

"Now see," he said standing back up, "this is why you," he paused to point, "are her mother."

She was rarely ever at a loss for words, but this happened to be one of those times. She sat there mutely just absorbing the enormity of what the last thirty minutes had done to her. She registered when Castle sat back down next to her, and pulled her in for a hug. She registered when his thumb was wiping away the new tears that were falling. She even registered Alexis telling Ashley she was going to stay in the city tonight, and that she would call him before she left. She finally broke from her reverie when he began to speak.

"Are you sure you're not already pregnant?" his laughing was silenced by the pillow she whacked him in the face with.

"You know what? With our luck, I wouldn't be surprised," she huffed and leaned back against the couch, "I mean seriously. The Universe dictates that everything we do will be the backwards way of going about it, so sure, why not. We would probably fall into that, what, .8%?" She covered her face with her hands.

He got very serious, "I can go down to the corner store right now."

She sighed, but didn't move her hands, "Get more Rocky Road too. I'm going to need more ice cream whatever it says."

"As you wish," he kissed her and then quickly got up to exit the loft. Kate sat there for another minute and then started to clean the living room up some. She picked the blanket up to fold and put away, took their spoons to the sink and the empty container to the trash. She finally headed upstairs to go change into something more suitable for an ice cream overdose.

"I was just coming to find you two," Alexis said meeting Kate at the top of the stairs, "It's way too late for me to head back. Think I could borrow something to sleep in? Apparently the only things I didn't take with me were my fancy dresses."

"Yeah, I think I can find something small enough," Kate laughed as she made her way up the hall.

"Oh sure, Amazon lady," Alexis teased.

Kate laughed and immediately went over to the dresser after she entered their room, rummaging in one of the drawers she quickly pulled out a pair of pajama pants, and an old t-shirt, "The pants will be way too long for you, but they should fit you other than that. I only say that because they were always too long for me," she paused, "We could probably cut them off."

"No! I'm not letting you destroy your clothes for me," Alexis snatched the pants and shirt from her.

"Okay," Kate held her hands up to concede that battle, "but I can't promise you they won't be shorter the next time you need to borrow them. I might finally be sick of how much too long they are."

Alexis laughed and went back down the hall to her room. Kate quickly found her own pajamas, a pair of stretchy pants a t-shirt of Castle's that came to her knees, and changed. She was heading back down the hallway just as her ice cream delivery boy arrived. She came down the stairs and met him at the counter.

"The lady at the store didn't take too kindly to my purchases," he said as he pulled the ice cream out to place in the freezer.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I think she thought the ice cream was to bribe you."

"Bribe her into what?" Alexis was about half way down the stairs and did not miss her father sliding the brown sack behind him. She shot him a look and Kate elbowed him.

"Uh..." He was blanking out, and had no idea where to start this conversation with his _grown_ child.

Alexis stood in front of them and put her hands on her hips, "Speak. Now."

"I– We were ju– The th–" the more he tried to find the right words the more tongue tied he got.

Kate sighed and just grabbed the sack from behind Castle, "Now for the part of the evening that is going to make you wish you hadn't asked," she held it out in front of her.

Alexis took the bag and looked inside. With a straight face she looked back and forth between them, trying to gage who would break first. She settled on Kate, "Are you?"

"I don't know," she replied honestly.

Alexis nodded and then continued, "A pre-emptive congratulations on the not-yet-but-someday-soon baby brother and or sister you _will_ be giving me," her tone reminded both of them Martha's a month ago when she told them, in a moment of tipsy honesty that she now denies, she was getting old and wanted to spoil another one before it was too late.

"So, you're okay with this?" he finally ventured.

"Dad! How long did I beg you for siblings, no forget that, at least sibling?" her face split into a big grin before stepping forward to hug them both, "I'm really happy for you both. I swear. This is great!" Alexis handed the bag back to Kate and shoved her in the direction of the nearest bathroom.

She looked back once and then went in to pee.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: It's Castle night on ABC. Keyword there being ABC. I don't own ABC or any part of it.

Notes: Don't hate me. You all are going to have to wait for chapter ten for the big reveal. This chapter is going to be all ESPLANIE! Well, almost all Esplanie. Mostly because Esplanie makes fics better, and they are serving to further the plot a wee bit. So, you can forgive me right? Of course you can. Please? Since I came seem to find any reference to Beckett's middle name, we're just going to borrow the one that wiki and IMDB all told us was Stana's, but hen she told us all it wasn't.

_Here is the English version of the lullaby: What a pretty little hand have I, how pretty and white this that God gave me. What pretty little eyes have I, how pretty and black these that God gave me. What a pretty little mouth have I, how pretty and red this that God gave me. What pretty little feet have I, how pretty and chubby these that God gave me._

_

* * *

_

Javier Esposito had finally torn himself away from the nursery window long enough to go get a coffee and a paper. He paused briefly to give his little girl one more adoring glance before making his way up the hall to Lanie. He quietly re-entered the room, and pulled his chair close to Lanie.

"Where've you been?" she asked sleepily.

"Admiring," he replied sheepishly he placed it on her bedside table, "I did go get you a paper to flip through, though. I can also be looking out the window and not noticing you stealing my coffee if you want some."

She smiled and picked the paper up, "Anything good?"

"I just looked at the front page," he sat in his chair and placed his coffee in the same spot he had set the paper, "Pass me the sports section when you get to it."

She pulled it out and tossed it to him before settling back with the rest of it. She worked her way to the end of page two when the door opened. It was her doctor, "Good morning, Dr. West."

"Brought you some company," the genial older woman winked and wheeled the bassinet over by Lanie, "They'll want to weigh her again around lunch time, but your beautiful little girl is yours until then."

Esposito dropped the sports page in his seat and was over there before the doctor even got the door shut, "Hola, princessa." He waved at the sleeping baby and then went to wash his hands. He picked her up and made one of this stupidly-happy dad faces.

Lanie smiled at them, "You are a lost cause."

"You know it," he grinned, "scoot over." Lanie shifted over a few inches and he sat down next to her.

"Good morning, Natalia," Lanie placed a feather light kiss on her head. She tossed her paper up on to the tray table.

Espoito quietly sang a Spanish lullaby, "Qué linda manita que tengo yo, qué linda y blanquita que Dios me dio. Qué lindos ojitos que tengo yo, qué lindos y negritos que Dios me dio. Qué linda boquita que tengo yo, qué linda y rojita que Dios me dio. Qué lindas patitas que tengo yo, qué lindas y gorditas que Dios me dio."

Lanie just smiled and snuggled into Esposito's side, "I love it when you speak Spanish."

"I know, chica! I think the Spanish is how we ended up here," he gave her a teasing wink.

"Don't make me smack you."

"I'll be looking forward to it," he kissed her forehead and went back to singing his lullaby.

Lanie dozed on and off for another thirty minutes before finally taking the baby from Esposito, "My turn."

"I didn't know it was so easy to love."

"I know," she ran a finger over the baby's cheek.

Esposito picked up the rest of Lanie's paper and began flipping sections until he found the comic pages, "I'm gonna get you started on all the good ones now," he spoke to the baby, "then later, when we get home, you can learn about the great ones. Papi has some classics from Stan Lee and Will Eisner and he can't wait to share them with you."

Lanie closed her eyes and listened as he read the comics out loud; she decided that sometimes the joke just wasn't there without seeing the picture. When the baby started squirming Lanie opened her eyes and shifted around, "Time for you to get up."

"Huh?" He put the paper down and looked at her.

"She's hungry," she waited for him to get up and hand her the blanket. She settled back against the bed and tried nursing again. The last few attempts had been painful and awkward learning curves.

"I like this part," he flirted.

"Is that all you think about?"

"Yes."

Lanie rolled her eyes, and went back to silently feeding their baby. Once the baby was finished and she was decent again Lanie made room for him to sit again, "Get back over here."

He dutifully sat down, and folded the paper back up to place on the tray, "She's so perfect."

"And..."

"And... that means she is just like her mama," he gave Lanie a kiss.

"I shouldn't have to drag that out of you," she narrowed her eyes at him before leaning in to kiss him back.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he tried to sneakily take the baby back, "I'll have to remember that, I know."

She let him take Natalia, "If I have learned anything in the last 12 hours it's that you are never going to put her down."

"Only for you, chica," he kissed her one more time before once again singing his lullaby to her.

Lanie watched a while and then went back to her page in the paper, she skipped her favorite section, and moved along until the only thing left was her secret pleasure. She had once tried to fool herself into thinking she only read page six to keep tabs on Castle for her friend, but she knew she was just a sucker for all the gossip.

She opened the paper up to the society pages, and almost immediately went pale, "Give me your phone."

"What?" he tried to get in the right position to pull it from his pocket, "Why? What is it?"

Lanie mumbled and immediately began dialing. She impatiently waited. One ring. Two. Finally on the third her friend picked up.

"Katherine Jacqueline Castle," she hissed, "you have a hell of a lot of explaining to do."

Espositio was immediately interested, and tried to listen in to the conversation. Having failed that he peered at the paper, hoping he maybe see what had set Lanie off in the first place. She had it at just enough of an angle that he couldn't see what she was looking at.

"What do you mean, what do I mean?" Lanie exhaled slowly, remembering that her best friend could sometimes be a brick wall, "Have you seen the paper this morning... No? Oh boy... You're on your way up now? Good."

Lanie threw her head back against the pillow, and dropped the paper into her lap, "I'm getting too old for this," she finally said.

The second the paper hit her lap Esposito leaned over to read. He was frozen. Never the kinds of words you want to hear for anyone, let alone your friends, "Dios mio, Lanie. Is it..."

"I don't know. She said they were just coming into the hospital when I called. We can ask them when they get up here.

"That's..." he trailed off again and looked down at his baby girl, "I hope to hell that ain't true, and if that theory holds true I'm going to hurt someone for printing that."

"Okay, Lanie, why the 911?" Kate asked when she finally entered the room. Alexis and Castle made a beeline straight for Natalia. Lanie tossed the paper to the end of the bed. Kate picked it up and skimmed page six until she saw what Lanie so pissed.

There in black-and-white were the words: _Castle's rumored to be seeking surrogate. Unable to conceive. _Right above was a still from Lenny's video of them walking across the parking lot.

"Well?" Lanie was intimidating, even laying in a hospital bed.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

Notes: That was mean of me I know, and I'm killing these last twenty-nine minutes before CASTLE FREAKING STARTS HECK YES by writing part of this chapter. You guys will eventually forgive me I think. Please forgive me. I love you guys. I've also noticed this weird kind of quirky thing I've done. I have no problem freely switching between Kate and Beckett, so much so that I've exclusively started using Kate. I can't make myself type Rick though, unless she is speaking to him. Does this bother you all? Also: how seriously awesome was tonight on the Caskett and Esplanie front?

You guys have been so good today, so here you go!

* * *

Castle watched Kate shift uncomfortably in front of her friend, and took it upon himself to see why. He read the caption and grabbed the paper from her, "_That_ is what he wrote?" Castle pulled his phone from his pocket and called his publicist. He walked out of the room paper in hand.

_Oh sure, leave me here._ She let out a sigh and wished he would come back in.

"Kate," Lanie had gone from serious to _serious_, "talk to me girl."

Esposito didn't want to be around for this conversation, so he quietly and quickly placed the baby in the bassinet and ran from the room. He figured it was in his best interest to not witness whatever was about to happen. It was either going to be a murder, or a breakdown.

Alexis walked over and wrapped an arm around Kate for support and comfort, "Tell her."

"It's not true, Lanie," Kate finally admitted.

"How do you know?"

"If I said 'I just do' you probably wouldn't buy it would you?"

"No, I wouldn't, and you know it," Lanie crossed her arms, "but I also get the feeling you might be playing me now."

"When have I ever played you?"

"Really? You really want me to start listing every denial you made to my face about Writer-Boy out there?"

"They're going to retract it," Castle announced coming back in, then he noticed the pseudo-standoff.

"Lanie seems to think it's true," Kate turned away from her friend and spoke directly to Castle.

"She does? Well, that's not good."

"No, I tried to tell her it wasn't true but she didn't believe me."

"Do not make me get up out out of this bed and come smack the both of you," Lanie threatened.

"Wonder what we would have to do to convince her..." he trailed off.

"I guess we could tell her I'm pregnant."

"We could do that, yes, What do you think Alexis? Good plan or no?" Castle turned his attention to his daughter.

Alexis broke, she knew last night, but her acting skills weren't nearly as good as Martha's and she'd been dying to tell Lanie from the second they'd walked in, "Most awesome thing _ever_ right?" She was nodding at Lanie.

Esposito stuck his head back in the room, he was checking to make sure everyone was alive. The overly excited smile that Alexis wore worried him, "Um... Is it safe?"

Lanie exploded into the loudest thing that could still be considered a whisper, "I can't believe you! I just can't! That was mean, girl! Just, cruel! I'm all strung out on hormones, and you just come in here and lead me on like that! I swear if I wasn't so damn happy for you right now I'd strangle you!"

Esposito took that as a tentative affirmative. Mostly just to make sure Lanie didn't follow through on her threat to strangle her best friend. He was utterly confused, "Can someone tell me why we're all so happy?"

Lanie ignored him intent on continuing to grill Kate, "When?"

"When what?"

"Kath-" she took a deep breath, "You are gonna make me have a stroke."

Kate took pity on her friend, "We found out last night."

"Get over here. Now," Lanie sat up to give her friend a hug.

"Can someone fill me in?" Esposito asked.

"Kate's pregnant," Alexis supplied going over to coo at the baby, "She looks just like you Dr. Parish."

"That's great! You need me to lay a beating on the guy who wrote that trash? You know there isn't a cop in New York that'd find fault in it," Esposito asked seriously.

Kate released Lanie from the hug, "Always the overprotective brother aren't you?"

"What can I say?" he stepped over to give his boss a hug, "Congratulations."

"Thanks," she gave Esposito a hug and then stepped back to stand by Castle.

The door swung open and a woman came in carrying a tray, "Oh, goodness! There usually aren't such full houses before breakfast."

"It's what families do when people have babies. They come together," Esposito said as he cleared the paper off of the tray so the woman could sit the tray down.

"Yes they do," she looked to Lanie, "I know the food could be better, but can I get you anything to go with it before I leave?"

"I need peanut butter," Lanie responded automatically.

"Aren't you supposed to quit having cravings after the baby is born?" Esposito looked at her puzzled.

"What do I look like, Javier, an OB/GYN?"

"Nope, you look li-"

"Okay, I think I'm about to hear something that is either disgustingly sweet, or just disgusting. Do I need to leave before you ruin this person I've built you up to be?" Alexis interrupted.

"Little Castle making a funny, I like it," he held his hand out to feed the birds.

She smirked and fed the birds, "Sorry, please continue." She walked over and leaned against the wall by her father.

They bumped shoulders before leaned over to whisper in Kate's ear, "I don't think your telepathy is working today. Just go pick her up."

She gave him her patented eye roll and went over by the bassinet, "Lanie, can I hold her?"

"I should say no after that little stunt you pulled, but you're gonna need the practice," Lanie grinned at her.

"You need to quit hanging around with him so much. You never used to tease me like this," she shot right back as she gently picked the baby up. "Hi there, cutie," she rocked back and forth as she spoke quietly to her, "I am your Aunt Katie. I'm going to teach you how to throw, because Lord knows your father doesn't know how to, and I'm going to tell you all of his embarrassing stories. Like the time right after he got his badge. I was still with vice, but we teamed up with homicide, you see. Your daddy, trying to prove how macho he was fell into the East River. Everyone else who saw that happen has moved on, but don't you worry. I'm going to make sure you get all the blackmail material you'll ever need."

"Hey! You swore you would never tell anyone that," Esposito's cheeks were clearly red.

Alexis tugged on Castle's jacket sleeve, once she had his attention she nodded towards Kate, "How many do I get?"

He mulled over his answer for a minute, "As many as she is willing to."

"Two is good with me," Alexis replied.

"You're practical, I'm not. I'd be deliriously happy with just this one, but you know how I like to go over the top with things," he nudged Alexis with a small laugh.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own them. :(

Notes: This is probably going to be the last chapter of this one. If I feel inspired it might come with a sequel right on its heels. If not, you'll get drabbles, mostly Caskett of course. Thank you for investing in this with me, and for all the alerts and and favorites. It means a lot. :) I just watched The Spirit today, so I had to include Stana's last line from the movie. As always all grammar and syntax errors are mine, sometimes my brain thinks faster than I type.

* * *

Three hours later and Alexis was back on the road, Martha had vanished off to wherever it is she vanishes to, and the dynamic duo were tangled in their sheets. Castle was laying flat on his back catching his breath, "You are amazing."

Kate laughed and turned over so she was propped up on her elbows, "You have no idea."

"I think I'm starting to," he turned and started tracing patterns on her back. They looked at each other for a while before the only thing more important than sex came up. Castle's stomach growled.

"Well there goes that moment," she kissed him one last time and rolled to the edge of the bed to look for something to put on.

He sat up and reached down to the floor, somehow all their clothes had ended up on his side, he tossed something over his shoulder to her and then pulled his boxers out of the mess, "Pizza?"

"Sure."

"'Kay," he stood up and pulled the shorts on before going downstairs to retrieve his phone from his coat pocket.

Kate picked up the shirt he threw to her, it was his. She rolled the sleeves up on it, slipped it on, and then buttoned it. She made a quick stop in the bathroom to try and fix her hair. "Perfect," she told her reflection sarcastically. She grabbed a hair tie from the vanity and pulled it back into a messy bun.

"Definitely, perfect," Castle said from the doorway. "Pizza will be here in 30."

"When did you get so good at sneaking up on me?" She snaked her arms around him and looked up with her chin rested on his chest.

"Can't tell you all my secrets."

"Yeah, yeah," she ducked under his arm and went to pick up the rest of their discarded clothes. Castle shook his head and went grab a fresh t-shirt to wear. Once he had it on he opened his favorite drawer, "God, you really are 12."

"I can't help it," he turned to her with a cheeky grin, "and I keep telling you there is no need to call me God. Rick is just fine." He narrowly dodge the pillow she threw at him as he retreated from the room.

"I swear..." she muttered as she fixed the bed as much as she dared. She retrieved the pillow from the hallway and then went to the dresser.

Castle stood looking in the fridge for something to have with the pizza, and he wasn't having much luck.

"Salad. Oh, do you have any french bread? You could make garlic toast," she offered from where she was leaning on the railing above him.

"If you will help me cut we can have both," he pulled out all the necessary salad ingredients and then grabbed the rest of the loaf off the top of the fridge.

"I can do that," she came down and grabbed a bowl, "Lettuce, carrots, and tomatoes?"

"Sounds good to me," he went to work slicing the bread, and she the vegetables. Within twenty minutes they were done. Perfect timing on their part, because there was a knock at the door.

"I got it," she grabbed the bills that were laying on the counter and went to the door, "Dad!"

"You sound surprised to see me."

"Well, I... We were waiting on pizza. Come in," she stepped aside and let him in.

"I think your pizza was right behind me, and that kid is going to appreciate what you are wearing a bit too much," Jim Beckett was using his dad voice.

Kate's cheeks reddened, "I'll be right back." She took off up the stairs to go find something to wear with Castle's shirt.

Castle did a mental outfit check,"Hey Jim, you want to join us for dinner? Plenty of salad, and I can make some garlic toast." He wiped his hands off on a dish towel and approached.

"I'd been trying to call to let you know I was going to be in the city, but no one would answer. I finally resorted to calling your mother. She said you all were home," Jim took his coat off and sat at the counter, "I think that was far too winded an answer for, yes."

"Great!" He took down another plate and went to cut some more bread. Kate came back down the stairs just about the same time that the knocking resumed. Dressed a bit more appropriately of course.

She paid the pizza boy and came back over with the box, "Here we go."

"Ladies first," Castle handed her a plate that already had salad and bread on it, "I got a half and half. Wasn't sure what you were in the mood for." He handed Jim the next plate and popped the lid open on the box.

"Oh boy..." Kate sat the plate back on the counter and backed away from the box, "umm you guys eat. I'm just gonna go down there." She grabbed her toast and moved further the box.

"Katie? You okay? You look pale," Jim asked standing.

"Yeah, yeah, just not very hungry anymore," she forced a smile for him.

It didn't take Castle long to figure out why she was suddenly without appetite. He closed the box and stuck it in the oven, "Better?"

"No, not really," she sank into the nearest chair.

"Katie... You don't look well at all," Jim went over and placed his hand on her forehead.

"I'm not sick, Dad," she pushed his hand away.

"No, I'm too old to play this game..." he started gesticulating.

"Dad, I'm not sick," she grabbed his hands, "I promise."

"Which is why you are changing colors."

Castle took the pizza out to the trash chute and came back in, "Lesson learned. No more Italian."

"I'm not sick, Dad."

"You're green, Katie. If you aren't sick then what are you?"

"I'm pregnant," she bit back the laugh as Jim's jaw hit the floor, "Which is not sick."

"Very not sick!" he gathered her into his arms and gave her the biggest hug he could muster.

"Let go," Kate squeaked.

"What?"

"Let go," she pushed back against him, "please."

Jim let go and Kate ran to the nearest bathroom. Castle was right on her heels. He squatted down next to her and rubbed her back as she heaved, "Definitely no more Italian."

"I hate you," was all she could muster as she leaned against the wall and put her face in her knees.

"I know you do," he quickly got her a cool wash cloth, "Look at me."

"No," she mumbled.

"Come on," he sat next to her and put his fingers under her chin. He finally coaxed her into looking up, "There she is," he pressed the cloth to her forehead.

She curled into his side, "I really do hate you."

"I know," he hugged her close while Jim looked on.

"Katie, I really hope this is one time you are _not_ like your mother. Johanna spent more time hunched over the toilet than she did in the court room while you were baking."

"That was not helpful," she glared at her father.

"Probably not, but fair warning is fair warning. I guess I came all this way with half a mind to beat somebody over nothing. Well, not nothing, something very important actually."

"Huh?"

"I might not live in Manhattan anymore Katie, but I do still read newspapers. I saw what the slime ball wrote, and I was a little upset. I think more over the fact that you hadn't called me."

"If it had been true you would have known."

"I know that now," he knelt down in front of her, "At least tell me I'm the first to know."

"Alexis and Martha," she smiled weakly, "I was going to call you later to invite you over."

"So I'm the second?"

"You remember my friend Lanie?"

"Yes, your sassy Maid of Honor."

"As scary as Kate is when she's breaking a suspect, Lanie is just good at _that_ face," Rick answered, "The woman just had a baby, and she was ready to go hide a body where no one could find it for us."

"I guess I can live with third by reason of fight or flight," he took Kate's hand, "Congratulations, baby girl. Jo would be over the moon if she was still with us."

"Yeah," Kate teared up a little, "Mom loved babies."

"Yes she did," he kissed her forehead and then stood back up, "I'll let myself out. You call me and keep me up to date."

"Of course, Dad," he dropped her hand, "You'll be the first to know next time."

"You say that now," he smiled knowingly.

"Bye."

"Bye, sweetheart. Take good care of her, Rick."

"Always sir, drive carefully."

Jim nodded and left the two of them sitting there. He reached the door when he heard more retching come from the small bathroom. He spoke quietly to the ceiling, "Johanna, I hope this goes a hell of a lot smoother for her than it did for you."


End file.
